Today, I want to introduce you to a very moving, encouraging song - Hinsuyeom Gorae (흰수염고래) by YB, one of my most favorite Korean rock bands. When I first heard the Korean title of the song, Hinsuyeom Gorae, which literally translates to “A white-whiskered
whale,” I thought it was meant to refer to a whale shark featured in “Lucy the
Whale Shark” of “Go, Diego, Go!” that my son, Caleb, used to love to watch when
he was little. Out of curiosity, I ran
an Internet search to find out it was actually a blue whale, which is called Hinsuyeom Gorae or Daewang Gorae (대왕고래,
“(King) Whale the Great”) in Korean. In my own
defense, I was confused since (i) both blue whales (mammal) and whale sharks (fish)
are humongous – the former is the
largest extant animal and the latter the
largest extant fish; (ii) both are considered threatened species – the former
endangered and the latter vulnerable; and most importantly, (iii) both of them
are docile and not aggressive towards humans or other animals/fish, feeding mostly on krill or planktonic
species.

Yoon Do Hyun wrote the lyrics of this beautiful title song, Hinsuyeom Gorae or “The Blue Whale” (and
also composed the song together with YB guitarist Huh Joon) after watching a blue
whale documentary. Even though blue
whales have no rival in size and power/strength, hence (except for the baby
blue whales) have no natural predators, they do not harm or prey on humans or
other animals/fish. They are known to most
dignifiedly and composedly live alone or with one other individual. Human beings are unlike blue whales in every
way except that both are mammals. Unlike in their world, there’s
so much misery in our world: The strong
overpower the weak and the rich mock the poor; adding insult to injury, the
strong claim more power by oppressing the weak and the rich get richer by
stealing from the poor.

In promotional
print media for the album, the band’s management agency, Daeum Entertainment,
revealed that Yoon wanted to comfort and support the weak and needy in our
society. And while singing the song on
his own show, Mnet’s “Yoon Do Hyun’s MUST,” on December 6, 2011, he surprised
the audience by shedding tears in the middle of the song. He wasn’t able to sing some parts of the song
to fight back the tears, which brought tears to the eyes of the crowd, too. Yoon said, “What a contrast there is between
the blue whales, the largest in the ocean yet harmless and peaceful, and some overbearing
and overpowering members of our society!”

[LIVE] YB:Hinsuyeom Gorae

(The Blue Whale, on Mnet's MUST (12/6/11))

Recently, Yoon Do Hyun volunteered as the vocal coach for the Korean media labor union members on strike and helped them make their own music video
of the song. The video features Kim Taeho,
creator/producer/director of MBC’s Muhan
Dojeon (무한도전, “Infinity Challenge”), Shin
Jeongsu, former producer/director of MBC’s Naneun
Gasuda or NAGASU (나는가수다, “I’m a singer”),
Moon Jiae, announcer/primetime news anchor (MBC), Park Daegi, reporter (KBS),
Choi Wonjeong, announcer and radio show host (KBS), Choi Youngju, news anchor
(YTN), and many others; and it will be shown at the joint concert of the union members
of MBC, KBS, and YTN on March 16, 2012.

Yoon said, “We made the song to comfort the weak and weary and are so
happy with the way this song is used.”
And I also gotta cheer them on from across the Pacific. Here it goes.
Euratchacha, MBC! Euratchacha,
KBS! Euratchacha, YTN! Korea, Fighting!

(UPDATE OF THE DAY)Today (03/15/2012), mbcunion2012just uploaded their music video on Youtube. The media union members join YB for the second half of the song. Who would've known Kim Taeho, creator/producer/director of MBC's Infinity Challenge, has got such an amazing singing voice?